The No. 1 Miami Hurricanes received some injury news on Wednesday when star receiver Malachi Toney suffered an ankle injury during practice. Sources told CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz that Toney suffered a high ankle sprain and is expected to undergo surgery, but the program hopes to have Toney back in time for a potential College Football Playoff run.
Toney is the Hurricanes’ top offensive weapon this season with 73 catches, 1,027 yards and 13 touchdowns, and his production for the nation’s best team has made him one of the Heisman Trophy favorites along with quarterback Darian Mensah.
Losing Toney on the week of the biggest game in Miami would be a disaster for the Hurricanes as the Miami offense looks for ways to create explosive plays against a talented Notre Dame defense.
Tony’s importance to the Miami offense
Last year’s win over Notre Dame was Tony’s breakout performance as a freshman, as he caught six carries for 82 yards and a touchdown in a 27-24 win at Miami to open the season. Toney is the biggest threat the Irish will have to game plan and counter with multiple defenders, and losing his ability to get downfield and move in space is a significant loss for Miami.
Toney has 35.1% of Miami’s receptions, 38.6% of receiving yards and 46.4% of receiving touchdowns this season. Cooper Barkate is second on the team in all of those categories with 28 catches for 372 yards and four touchdowns and, while talented, doesn’t provide the same dynamic as Toney.
The Hurricanes use Toney in a myriad of ways, and his ability to move around formations and alignments allows Shannon Dawson to attack the various soft spots of the defense, preventing easy adjustments to what he did in Miami due to their volatility. With Toney out, the increased focus on defense allows Miami to slow down the running game.
The Hurricanes are 21st in the nation in rushing offense at 202.5 yards per game and 10th in yards per attempt at 5.49. Mark Fletcher Jr. and Javian Mallory form one of the best running tandems in the country, but when Tony is on the field, they are made more effective by the respect the defense gives them against the big-play threat the passing game always presents.
Notre Dame’s defense had to face the difficult choice of sending more bodies into the box to slow down the run or contain the help to prevent Toney from breaking loose. The ripple effects extend far beyond the Hurricanes’ passing game.
Heisman Trophy results
Aside from the impact Toney’s injury will have on Miami’s biggest game of the season, Saturday’s game against Notre Dame is Toney’s (and Mensah’s) best opportunity to post a Heisman moment on a big national stage.
Toney finished second in the Heisman Trophy odds race coming into the week at +290 at FanDuel Sportsbook — trailing only Mensah at +170. Toney dropped to +800 after the initial injury report on Wednesday, and he was completely off the board after word got out that he would have surgery. Toney’s injury could also affect Darian Mensah’s Heisman chances, as his passing productivity will likely take a hit if his top receiver is unable to play or is limited.
As a result, Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith is back on top at odds at +160, Mensah is back at +165, and Notre Dame’s CJ Carr is third at +550 as the Irish become a 7.5-point favorite over the Hurricanes.
CBS Sports will continue to provide updates on Tony’s status as the week progresses and more information becomes available.